Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the need to quickly find a stored phone call record, which may be required to restore an important agreement, confirm a transaction, or simply to preserve a memorable dialogue. However, the standard MIUI shell or the new HyperOS is not always obvious in navigating system folders, hiding audio recordings in the depth of the file structure.
Understanding the logic of the Android file system on Android devices will help you instantly find the right tracks, copy them to your computer or transfer them through instant messengers. In this article, we will discuss in detail the standard ways, how to change the location of the save and the nuances of working with access rights in new versions of the operating system.
We will also touch on the topic of automatic recording, which has become the standard for Chinese manufacturers, and explain why in some cases files may not appear in the expected location.Beginning with Android 11, Google has changed its microphone and storage access policy, which has directly affected the structure of call record folders on all smartphones, including Xiaomi.
Standard path to files in built-in storage
By default, all audio recordings of conversations on Xiaomi smartphones are stored in the device’s internal storage. The system creates a special directory where new files are automatically placed immediately after the call is completed. You can find this folder through any file manager, for example, the standard Explorer application or third-party solutions like Total Commander.
The absolute path to the directory is as follows: Internal shared drive/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. This is where the files are in the format.m4a or.mp3. It is noteworthy that in older versions of the shell MIUI (before 12-The path may have been different and led to the folder MIUI/sound_recorder, where all records were sorted by type, but in current firmware, the structure became more stringent.
If you can't see the folder call_rec, Make sure the recording feature is enabled in the phone settings. To do this, go to the Phone app, click three dots in the corner and select Recording Settings. Here you can activate automatic recording of incoming or outgoing calls, which will eliminate the need manually to turn on the recorder during a conversation.
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Rename important records immediately after the call in the Dictator app, so as not to search for them later on the time of creation among hundreds of files with the same names.
Access to this folder does not require root permissions, since it is in the user partition of memory, you can freely copy files from here, delete them or move them to cloud storage to free up space.
Configure the preservation of records on SD-map
Audio recordings, especially in high quality, can take up a significant amount of memory. If your Redmi or Poco internal storage is full, it makes sense to move the storage location to a microSD card. This will not only free up precious gigabytes of the system, but also secure data in case your smartphone is reset to factory settings.
To change the saving path, follow the following steps:
- 📱 Open the standard Dictator or Call Recording app».
- ⚙️ Click on the menu icon (three dots or gear) and select Settings».
- 💾 Find the item "Memory" or "Preservation Place" and switch the switch to the switch to «SD-map».
- ✅ Confirm action if the system requests permission to create folders.
After switching, all new records will automatically be saved along the way. SD-map/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. Old files will remain in internal storage unless you move them manually, an important point that users often forget when trying to find "missing" old records on a USB drive.
⚠️ Note: When you remove the memory card, access to new call records will be lost before the drive is re-installed. SD-card securely fixed in the tray.
Using an external card also makes it easier to back up, so you can just pull the card out, paste it into the card reader on your computer, and copy the entire folder. sound_recorder In a matter of seconds, without connecting the phone with cables.
Search for records through the Dictophone application
You don't have to dig through the file system every time you listen to a conversation. Xiaomi smartphones have a handy Dictophone app that aggregates all audio recordings, including conversations. It's the fastest way to find a specific file using date or contact sorting.
The interface is divided into tabs, and you're interested in the Phone or Call tab (the name may vary depending on the version of MIUI), where files are sorted chronologically, and by clicking on a particular record, you can listen to it, crop it, or share a file via Telegram, WhatsApp, or email.
The thing about the app is that it not only displays the file, but also the contact information if the number is saved in the phone book, which makes it much easier to navigate when you need to find a conversation with a specific person in the past month.
☑️ Checking the settings of the recorder
Also available in the app is a feature called Favorites. If a conversation is critical, add it to your favorites so it's always on hand, even if you accidentally sort the list by date or delete old files.
Features of the file system in Android 11, 12, 13 and 14
With the release of new versions of Android, Google has introduced strict restrictions on application access to the file system, which also affected Xiaomi. Scoped Storage mechanism has changed the rules of the game: system applications can no longer write freely to the root directories, and file managers are limited in rights.
This has led to the fact that in some cases, the path to the records can be hidden from third-party file apps unless they are given special permission.The standard Xiaomi Explorer usually has all the necessary rights, but third-party programs can show an empty folder or request access to "System Files."
If you upgrade to Android 13 or 14 and stop finding records, check the permissions of the Dictophone or Phone app. They should have access to Photos and Videos or Files and Media Content.
| Android version | Availability of the folder | File format | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android 9-10 | Full access | MP3 / M4A | No. |
| Android 11 | Restricted access | M4A | Permission is required for filers |
| Android 12-13 | Strict access | M4A | Prohibition of access to system folders |
| Android 14 | Isolated storage | M4A / OPUS | High level of encryption |
Users of new OS versions are advised to use only standard navigation tools or grant extended rights to trusted file managers through the system security window.
Why can the records disappear after the update?
Problems with access and application rights
A common problem that users face is that the recording seems to be going (the indicator on the screen is there), but the file is nowhere. 90% of the time it is an access rights problem. The Phone or Recorder app may have lost permission to write to memory after updating the system or resetting the settings.
To rectify this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Search the list for “Dictorphone” (or “Call Record” if you use a separate app). Go to “Application Permissions”.
Make sure that the sliders opposite Memory, Files and Media Content, or Storage are activated. If you use a third-party recorder from Google Play, it may also need special permissions through Accessibility, as Google blocks direct recording of sound at the system level.
⚠️ Warning: Third-party applications for recording calls may stop working after the Android update, in which case the security system blocks the capture of the audio stream.
It's also worth checking if the Power Savings mode is on for the recording app. If the phone aggressively unloads background processes, the recording may or may not be interrupted. Add the recorder to the battery exception list.
Recovery and backup of records
Losing important conversational files is a bad situation, because call records are often legal or financial, losing them can be critical, and the best way to protect them is by backing up regularly.
You can set up folder sync. call_rec For example, Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or Dropbox allows you to set up automatic download of the content of certain folders. sound_recorder, And all the new records will be flying to the cloud.
If the file was accidentally deleted, try using the Recycle Bin feature in the Explorer or Gallery app (sometimes audio files get there). The chances of recovery are high if a little time has passed since the deletion and the memory has not been overwritten with new data.
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Regular synchronization of the record folder with the cloud is the only reliable way to ensure the safety of data in case of a smartphone breakage or its theft.
For a manual backup, simply connect your phone to your PC in File Transfer mode and copy the entire folder. call_rec It takes less than a minute to get to your computer's hard drive, but it saves you from potential problems in the future.